Combination washer-dryer



July 5, 1960 J. c. woRsT 2,943,473

COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER JOSEPH c. woRsT HIS ATTORNEY July 5, 1960 J. c. WORST COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1959 INVENTOR. JOSEPH C. WORST im WW HIS ATTORNEY July 5, 1960 y J. c. woRsT 2,943,473

COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 5P IP o SHA 5 MA E Bu P 5U D TLS l L5 F|F NEE N E: DRY :Iv

E I f f F LI L F G INVENTOR J'OSEPH C.. WORST H15 ATTORNEY nite tats COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER Joseph C. Worst, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 18, 1959, Ser. No. 840,828

4 Claims. (Cl. 68-12.)

This invention relates to combination washer-dryers Where, after the washing operation and centrifugal extraction of liquid from the clothes, there may, at the option of the operator, be provided a heat drying operation. More particularly, it relates to such a machine where the length of the centrifugal extraction operation is varied dependent on whether the heat drying operation has been elected or omitted.

Combination washer-dryers perform the combined functions of washing machines and drying machines, that is, the same machine washes the clothes and then heat drys them. The washing portion of the sequence which is provided is in general approximately the same as that of standard washing machines in that it includes basically a washing cycle, at least one rinse cycle to get rid of the washing liquid, and a centrifuging or spin operation to get most of the liquid out of the clothes. These operations may, at the election of the operator, immediately be followed by the heat drying operation which consists of providing heat to vaporize moisture from the clothes as they are tumbled in the clothes receptacle.

A problem that has been encountered in such machines is the tendency for the clothes in the rotating basket to adhere to the walls of the basket, even after the centrifuging operation has terminated, if the rotational speed during centrifuging is too high. This may occur to the extent that if no corrective measures are taken and the speed reaches a certain level, the clothes remain in a tight annulus adhering to the inner basket surface. This is highly objectionable during a heat drying cycle because the clothes must be tumbled in order to present all surfaces to the circulating warm air. lt has, therefore, been the practice in many machines to provide a centrifuging speed which is low enough not to incur the possibility of the clothes continuing to adhere to the walls of the clothes basket after the centrifuging operation terminates.

It has been found that, where the complete sequence including heat drying is desired, the shortest overall time is obtained if the centrifuging operation is terminated and the heat drying is started while the clothes still have a relatively high liquid retention, since there is a certain point at which heat drying removes the liquid more rapidly than additional centrifuging at the same speed. For this reason, the length of the centrifuging operation is selected, in combination washer-dryers, so as to be fully compatible with the drying cycle in providing the shortest possible overall cycle time. As a result, as has been described above, the clothes at the end of the centrifuging operation may still be quite wet; this has proved to be a somewhat disadvantageous feature for those cycles where the operator omits the heat drying portion, inasmuch as the clothes are so wet as to have some tendency to drip when lifted out of the machine.

While the removal of additional water by extending the time of the centrifuging operation is a little slower than by heat drying, there is nonetheless a substantial amount of water which may be removed by such an extension of the centrifugal extraction operation, and if additional water is thus extracted it makes the clothing much easier for the operator to handle. It is thus desirable to have a centrifugal lqiuid extraction operation which, although relatively short when a full cycle with heat drying is 2,943,473 Patented ll'nly 5, i960 selected, may be lengthened when the heat drying is omitted from the cycle.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide an improved combination washer-dryer wherein the centrifugal extraction operation is longer when the heat drying operation is omitted.

A further more speciiic object of my invention is to achieve this desired result by utilizing the time allotted to the heat drying operation when elected for the additional centrifugal extraction whenever the operator elects to omit the heat drying operation.

According to one aspect of my invention, l provide a laundry machine which has a clothes receptacle rotatable on a non-vertical axis. Suitable means are provided for rotating the receptacle at a relatively low tumbling speed and at a relatively high centrifuging speed. The machine also includes suitable components for effecting washing and rinsing of clothes in the receptacle and for effecting heat drying of the clothes. The sequence of operation of the rotating means and of the various components is controlled by timer control means which provides in sequence first, second and third operations, the third operation including a predetermined minimum period of timer operation when selected. In the first operation, the washing and rinsing means cooperate with rotation of the receptacle at tumbling speed to effect the desired washing action; in the second operation, the rotation of the receptacle at centrifuging speed eifects removal of a substantial amount of liquid from the clothes; and in the third operation, cooperative action of the heat drying means and rotation of the receptacle at tumbling speed causes drying of the clothes.

Associated with the means for controlling the various operations, l provide manually operable means which has two positions; in the first position the manually operable means selects a sequence which includes all three operations, while in the second position the manually operable means selects a sequence which includes only the iirst and second operations. When in the latter position, the manually operable means also causes the timer control means to extend the second operation for the minimum predetermined period that the timer control means would have run in the third operation if tha-t operation had been provided. I this manner, elimination of the third or heat drying operation automatically causes extension of the centrifuging operation, so that if the heat drying operation is not desired the operator is assured that enough water is removed from the clothes by centrifuging to facilitate their handling.

The subject matter which constitutes my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specication. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a rear elevational view of a combination washer-dryer of the type in which my invention may be embodied, the machine having the rear panel removed to illustrate details;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of Figure l, partly in section and with certain surfaces broken away to show details;

Figure 3 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram illustrating in simplified form a control system embodying my invention in one form thereof; and

Figure 4 is a sequence control cam chart illustrating a suitable sequence of operations for the timer switches shown in Figure 3 in order to provide an operative cycle for the machine of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a combination clothes washing and drying machine where the operating elements of the machine are included within an outer cabinet structure having a central wrap-around section 1. Section l is supported on a base and toe board assembly 2 and carries a separate top 3 on which is supported a control panel 4 which may, as shown, be mounted on posts 5. Control panel 4 is provided with appropriate control devices, generally indicated by the numeral 6, which provide for various types of washing and drying sequences and other functions such as, for instance, selection of drying temperature and omission of drying function. Access to the interior of the machine is provided by a door 7, formed in section 1, which is mounted on concealed hinges and which is opened by means of a latch control S.

As best shown in Figure 2, the machine is of the horizontal axis type, that is, it has a substantially cylindrical clothes basket or receptacle 9 mounted for rotation on a generally horizontal axis within an outer enclosing tub structure 10. Receptacle 9 includes a cylindrical shell or wall 11 which is closed at its rear end by means of a suitable wall or plate 12. The basket also includes a front wall 13 which is formed so as to dene an access or loading opening 14 in registry with an opening 15 provided in wrap-around `section 1 for door 7. The basket is rotatably supported by a shaft 16 which is mounted in bearing 17 supported from rear wall 18 of tub 1G. The tub is also provided with an opening 19 aligned with openings 14 and 15 so that clothes may be placed into and removed from the basket when door 7 is opened. The door `seals against a suitable gasket 29 during operation of the machine.

During the operation of the machine, the receptacle, or basket 9, is driven from an electric motor 2.1. The drive from the motor to the basket includes a pulley 22 which is secured to the motor shaft `so as to rotate therewith and over which passes a belt 23 driving an adjustable sheave assembly 24. Assembly 24 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 25 secured at the end of an arm 26 pivotably mounted on base 2 by a pin 27. The adjustable sheave assembly 24 in turn drives a belt 28, and the belt 2S drives a pulley 29 which is secured to rotate with a coaxial pulley 30. Pulley 30, through a belt 31, drives a pulley 32 secured on the end of shaft 16 so that rotation of pulley 32 drives the basket 9 through shaft 16.

An arm 33 is secured to the sheave assembly 24 and a chain 34 is secured at one end to the arm 33 and at its other end to a pulley 35 (Figure 2) which is rotatable by a gear motor assembly 36, rotation of the gear motor assembly causing chain 34 to be wound up on pulley 35. It will be obvious that the winding up of the chain 34 on pulley 35 pulls the sheave assembly 24 to the right as viewed in Figure l. The sheave assembly is normally biased to the left by a spring member 37 which is secured at one end to the base 2 and at its other end to 'the sheave assembly 24. When the sheave assembly is in the position shown, that is, in the position with the gear motor de-energized and the spring being effective to pull the assembly to the left, a rotational speed of about 47 r.p.m. is provided for the lbasket so as to eiect tum* bling of the clothes in the basket. When the sheave assembly is pulled over the right by the winding up of chain 34 on pulley 35 the speed is increased to the maximum extent possible without sticking of the clothes occurring. For instance, with a 26 inch diameter receptacle and without any special antisticking measures being provided, this speed is on the order of 215 or 225 r.p.m. The means whereby the adjustable sheave assembly 24 eiects the speed variation is conventional and is completely described and illustrated in other copending applications assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention. For instance, one such application wherein the construction of sheave assembly 4 24 is completely described is found in application SN. 787,711, tiled on January 19, 1959, by Creighton E. Pool.

The components for effecting the washing and rinsing steps are particularly shown in Figure l. These components include water supply means wherein connections 33 and 39 are used to provide hot and cold water to the machine for the washing operation. A valve controlled by a solenoid 40l admits hot water to the machine and a valve controlled -by an opposed solenoid 41 admits cold Water to the machine. The hot and cold water valves under the control of the solenoids 40 and 41 discharge through a common outlet conduit 42, through a suitable air gap, and into a funnel `43 which is connected by a by a conduit 44 to a sump 4S formed at the bottom of tub 10. The air gap provided by the funnel 43 makes it impossible for the water to be syphoned from the machine and thus contaminate the` incoming supply line. A pressure actuated sensing device or water `level control 46 controls both solenoids 40 and y41, as will be more fully explained herebelow, to maintain the proper water level in the machine during the washing operation. Sensing device 46 is connected tothe interior of tub 10 by a suitable line 47.

In order to discharge water from the machine through sump 45 at the bottom of tub 10 at appropriate times during the operating sequence of the machine, suitable means are provided. In the present case, these include a discharge hose 48 which leads from the sump to a drain pump `49 which may be driven directly from motor 21 and which discharges through an outlet opening 5i) to a drain valve 51 controlled by a suitable solenoid 52. (schematically shown in Figure 3). Since pump 49 is continually operated by motor 21 the draining of water from sump 45 is controlled by the drain valve 51, draining occurring except when solenoid 52 is energized.

Suitable means are provided to heat the clothes during the drying portion of the cycle which follows a centrifugal extraction operation. In the present machine, these include heaters 53 which are mounted within the upper portion of tub 1li so that when energized they heat the basket '9. When the heaters are energized, the heat transferred to the clothes basket is then passed on to the clothes to cause vapor migration out of the clothes. Since the outer cylindrical wall of the basket is perforated by a great many small spaced openings 54 (Figure 2) there is also a 'substantial amount of heat from the e1ements which passes directly to the clothes by radiation.

The illustrated machine is of the type which uses cold water during the drying cycle for condensing the moisture extracted from the clothes. The condenser water is admitted to the machine through an additional solenoid actuated valve controlled by a solenoid 55 which is energized during the drying operation so that the Valve passes water at slow rate sufficient to condense vfrom the air the moisture vaporized from the clothes. As sho-wn, the condenser water valve discharges into a conduit 56 and then ilows through an air gap into a `funnel 57. From the funnel, the condenser Water ilows through conduit 58 and opening 59 provided in the side of tub 1t), and then flows in a thin sheet down the lower left wall 66 of the tub so as to cool a substantial portion of the area of the side wall and provide a large cool surface for condensing the moisture extracted from the clothes.

The condenser water and the moisture extracted from the clothes during the drying operation may, of course, be discharged from the machine through sump 45 by the same drain means, including pump 49; and valve 51, as described for removing Washing and rinsing water.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown in schematic form a control arrangement for controlling the sequence of operation of the various components of the machine hereinabove described. It will, of course, be understood thatv in lactual practice various interlocking arrangements of the different functions may be provided together With various electrically controlled safety features;` however,

E these lfrequently assume some complexity and have been omitted since they do not form a part of the invention and such circuit modiiications are well known to those skilled in the art.

The basic operation of the means for controlling the sequence is provided through a suitable timer motor 61; a series of switches 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68a and 68b are actuated in a desired sequence Iby appropriate switch operating means, such as, respectively, cams A, B, C, D, E, F, and G (cam G controlling both switch 68a and switch 63h) driven by motor 61. Typically, the cams are also manually controlled by the control means 6 so that they may be rotated to cycle starting position by the operator, with motor 6,1 then carrying them through the cycle. Switch 62 is movable by cam A into either closed position with contact 69, closed position with contact 70 or open position between the two. The same relationship prevails between switch 63 and contacts 71 and 72, and switch 64 and contacts 73 and 74. Switches 65, 66, 67 and 68a and 68h are each movable into and out of engagement with, respectively, single contacts 75, 76, 77 and 78a and 78b. In the particular representation of Figure 4, it is to be understood that, `for cams A, B and C, the switch is closed with the upper contact (as seen in Figure 3) when the heavy line is at its higher level, the switch is open when the line is at its intermediate level, and the switch engages the lower contact when the line is at its lower level. For cams D, E, F, and G, the switches are open when the lines are at their lower levels and are closed when the lines are at their upper levels. In other words, the chart of Figure 4 may be regarded for purposes of this explanation as a development of the peripheries of the respective switch operating cams.

The power for energizing the different components shown in Figure 3 is supplied from a three-wire power source comprising power supply lines 79 and 80 and a neutral line 81. This three-wire source may, yfor example, comprise the conventional 230 volt domestic supply having a voltage of 230 volts between supply lines 79 and 80 and a voltage of 115 volts between each of the supply lines and neutral line 81. The heating elements 53 are connected across the 230 volt supply lines 79 and 8i) through a circuit which, starting at conducto-r 79, extends through a conductor 82, a bridging contact 83, `a bridging contact 84, a thermostatically operated switch 85, timer switch 6811, and through the heater 53 itself to conductor 80. A second bridging contact 86 is ganged fto contact 83, the two of them `constituting a single manually operable switch 87. Switch 87, may constitute part of the controls 6 on panel 4, being manually operable so as to move bridging contacts 83 and 86 to either closed position or open position. In the closed position the machine is in readiness for operation, while in the open position the machine is precluded from operation.

When bridging contact 86 is in closed position, conducto-r 79 is connected through the contact 86 and a conductor 88 to contact 75. By engagement of switch 65 with contact 75, a connection may thus be made from conductor 79 to a conductor S9. Conductor S9 in turn is connected to a switch member 99 which -forms part of the water Ilevel control 46. When the water is below a predetermined level the switch 90 is in the position shown in engagement with a contact 91. When the water reaches the predetermined level switch member 90 moves out of engagement with the contact. When switch 90 is in the position shown, that is, with less than the predetermined level of water in the receptacle 9, a circuit may then be completed through either or both of switches 62 and 63'. Switch 62, when it engages contact 69, may, if a bridging contact 92 is in the position shown, complete an energizing circuit for the condenser valve sole` noid 55; in its down position, where it engages contact 76, the switch 62 is enabled to complete an energizing circuit for the hot water valve solenoid 40. In either of its closed positions switch 63 completes an energizing .Circuit for the cold water valve solenoid 41; however,

6 when it engages contact 71, the circuit completion is de# pendent on the position of a manually operable bridging contact 93.

When switch 65 is closed, it enables the closing of switch 64 to complete an energizing circuit through oontact 73 for the drain valve solenoid 52, or, alternatively, through contact 74 for the gear motor assembly 36 to provide a centrifugal liquid extraction operation. In addition, when switch 65 is closed, the closing of switch 66 energizes the main drive motor 21 and the closing of switch 67 -energizes the timer motor 61.

It will be observed'that in addition to the position of the bridging contact 92 as shown, it may be manually moved downwardly to a position where it bridges conductors 94 and 95. When switch 62 engages contact 69, this second position of contact 92 provides a circuit which, instead of energizing the condenser water valve solenoid 55, energizes the gear motor assembly 36 to cause a spin or centrifugal extraction operationto be provided. It will also be observed that the bridging contact 84 is similar to contact 92 in that itis movable to a second position where it connects a pair of conductors 96 and 97. When moved to this position, the bridging contact 84 completes a circuit from conductor 79, through conductor 82 to conductors 96 and 97, timer switch 68a, and then through the timer motor 61 to conductor 81. When ybridging contact 84 is in its second position, an energizing circuit for timer motor 61 is thus completed which is entirely independent of switch 67.

Itis to be noted at this point that bridging contacts 84 and 92 are ganged together so -as to be operated by a single manual operation. In other words, they constitute a single switch 97a which in its first position causes contact 84 to complete la heating circuit and contact 92 to complete a condenser water valve solenoid energizing circuit so that the heaters are enabled to operate and condenser water is provided. In the second position of the switch 97a, contact 84 completes a timer motor circuit which is continuous and independent of switch 67, and contact 92 completes a gear motor circuit which is dependent only on switch 62 and not on switch 64.

In the preferred arrangement shown, I provide an operating control thermostatic switch which is engageable with either of contacts 98 and 99. When switch 8S engages contact 98, and the timer motor 61 has caused switch 68b to be closed, energization of heaters 53 may take place. However, when switch 85 engages contact 99, the heaters are de-energized and, provided bridging contact 84 is in its first position, as shown, a circuit for the timer motor 61 is provided which is independent of switch 67. In my preferred construction I contemplate causing the switch 85 to be sensitive to the temperature of the clothes in the receptacle, in the conventional manner, so that when the clothes are heated to a predetermined temperature the switch moves from engagement with contact 98 to engagement with contact 99; then, after the clothes cool down, switch 8S moves back into engagement with contact 98.

With the foregoing construction and with particular attention to Figures 3 and 4, the operation of the combination washer-dryer will be described for a complete sequence including washing, spinning and drying. Switch 97a is placed in the position shown. It will be observed from Figure 4 that initially switch 62 engages contact 70, switch 63 engages contact 71, switch 64 engages contact 73, switches 65, 66 and 67 are closed and switches 68a and 68b are open. With the cams A, B, C, D, E, F and G in the position to provide this arrangement, operation of the machine may be started by closing bridging contacts 83 and 86. The closing of switch 67 by cam F causes the timer motor to be energized and thus the machine starts to proceed through the wash step, while, simultaneously, basket 9 rotates at tumbling speed because switch 66 is closed to energize motor 21 and the gear motor assembly 36 is de-energized. Since the receptacle is initially empty of liquid, the switch is in engagement with contact 91; with switch 62 in engagement with contact 70, the hot water valve solenoid 40 is energized to permit hot water to be provided into the machine. With switch 63 engaging contact 71, the cold water solenoid 41 isV energized only if bridging member 93 is in the closed position. In other words, if the bridging member 93 has been closed hot and coldwater will be provided together; otherwise, the Water provided for the wash step will be hot. The slow rotation of the basket causes the clothes to be tumbled in the hot Water so as to be washed. The inlet valve solenoids remain energized, of course, only until the desired Water level is reached at which point switch 99' opens; while this is without any effect on the timer motor and the main drive motor, it precludes further water from being introduced to the machine by defenergizing the valve solenoids.

At the end of the time allotted to the wash step, switches- 62, 63 and 64 open. The opening of the first two switches prevents the introduction of water to the machine regardless of the position of switch 90;.the opening of switch 64 opens the drain valve 51 to permit the drain pump 49 to remove the wash water from the machine. After an appropriate length of time (such as two minutes, as shown) has been provided for the water to drain out, switch 63 is made to engage contact 72 and switch 64 is returned into engagement with contact 73. This causes cold water to be provided to the machine by solenoid 41, and the drain valve 51 to be closed again by the energization of solenoid 52. Cold water continues to enter until switch 90 is moved away from contact 91, and a brief period of rinsing follows. This water is then drained out and another rinse provided, this time with warm water being provided by having switch 62 closed into engagement with contact 79. at the same time that switch 63 engages contact 72. In. the present instance, purely for the purpose of illustrating an operative cycle, four rinses each followed by draining of the water are provided, the irst rinse being with cold water, the second with warm water, the third with cold water and the fourth with either hot or warm water as selected by the operator through the position ofthe bridging contact 93..

Atthe end of the last drain operation, both` switches 62 and 63 are. opened and switch.64 is moved into engagement with Contact 74. This, of course, prevents further wash water from being. introduced to the machine and at the same time energizes the gear motor assembly 36 to cause the basket speed to be increasedfor the centrifugal extraction operation, or. spin.. Of course, the fact that solenoid 52 is de-energized means that continued operation of motor 21 will cause all water removed by the centrifugal liquid extraction operation to be removed by the pump. This spin operation continues for an appropriate period of, for instance, four minutes after which switch 64 opens to de-energize the gear motor and cause the basket speed to be returned to tumble speed. After approximately a minute of this, the switch 66 opens to deenergize the main drive motor and thus terminate basket rotation entirely.V This helps all the clothes in the basket to fall away from the basket.

The spin, tumble and stop sequence isthen repeated to remove additional water, and then switch 62 engages contact 69, switch 66 closes to cause a tumbling speed to be provided again to the basket. by motor 21, and switches 68a and 68h are closed, the latter enabling energization of the heaters 53. The engagement of switch 62 with contact 69'causes condenser water to flow down the side 69 of the tub in order to cool and dehumidify the air which has been heated by the action of the heaters 53. During this time, the drive motor is energized through switch 66 to cause the clothes to be tumbled in the receptacle as they are heated, thereby to effect drying of the clothes. After this action has proceeded for a short period of time switch 67 is opened by cam F and the timer motor is consequently de-energized. The heaters, the condenser water valve and the drive motor continue to operate as described until -such time as the temperature in the basket rises to a level sutlicient to trip thermostatic switch 8S into engagementV with Contact 99. This stops the Vheating action and starts the timer motor 61 which shortly thereafter reclosesswitch 67 for a. predetermined period of severalv minutes to assure continued operation ofthe timer motor during thatl period'. At the end of several minutes, the timer motor reopens. switch 67 so thatcontroll of thev machine is again in the thermostatic switch 85.. By thistime the temperature in the receptacle has cooled sufficiently for switch to move back into engagement with contact 98, and thusthe second heat drying of the clothes occurs until once again the switch 85 trips into engagement with contact 99. This restartsl the timer motor which then opens switch 68h to insure that the heaters cannot be restarted and. closes switch 67 to insure a predetermined length of cool-down operation. The cool-down continues for an appropriate interval of, for instance, ve minutes after which the timer motor opens switch 65 to de-energize all components in the machine.

It will be seen from the foregoing that with switch 97a in. its-first position (as shown) a complete washing, spinning and drying operation is carried out. It will further be observed that while the time for drying is dependent on how long it takes for the temperature in the receptacle to reach a high enough value to trip switch 85, the timer motor operates for a denite period of time during the drying operation, in this case the period being on the order of 13 minutes (l, 7 and 5).

Let it now be assumed that instead of the complete cycle described, the operator desires a cycle which includes only washing and spinning. In this case, she depresses switch 97a to move contacts 84 and 92 to their second positions wherein contact 84 completes a circuit between conductors 96 and 97 and contact 92 completes a circuit between conductors 94 and 95. It will readily be observed that the operation is exactly the same through the entire washing operation including the wash step and the drain and rinse steps, and through the centrifugal operation including the spin, tumble and stop steps.

When, however, the end of the second stop step is reached and cam A makes switch 62 engage contact 69 and cam G makes switch 68a engage contact 78a, there is a substantial difference in the operation from what occurred previously. Instead of a heating step occurring with condenser water being provided to dehumidify the air after it has contacted the clothes, the fact that bridging contact 84 has opened the circuit to the heaters 53 means that there will be no heating within the receptacle at all. Instead, the bridging contact 84 in its second position, with switch 68a closed, completes a continuous circuit for the timer motor so that it continues to operate independently of the opening and closing of switch 67. Further, with the bridging contact 92 in its second position, no condenser water is provided because the energizing circuit for the condenser valve solenoid is opened. Instead, the bridging Contact completes an energizing circuit for the gear motor assembly 36 to cause a third spin speed step to be provided. This continues for the ent-ire thirteen minutes of timer motor operation which are normally provided between the beginning of the heat drying operation and the end of the cool-down operation. In other words, instead of the third operation of drying being provided, the second operation of centrifugal liquid extraction, or spin, is extended for the period which the timer motor would normally run during drying.

After the thirteen minutes have elapsed, the timer motor moves all the switches to their open positions, as before, with the result that the action of all components is stopped and the cycle is finished. The additional thirteen minutes of spin cause removal of a substantial amount of additional water which make the clothes much more convenient to handle. It will readily be seen that this actionis obtained without the necessity of any additional components in the machine since the essence of the invention lies in the use of the time during which the timer motor normally operates in the heating operation for an extension of the centrifugal extraction operation if the heat drying operation is not desired.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modiiications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and I therefore aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A laundry machine comprising a clothes receptacle rotatable on a non-vertical axis; means for rotating said receptacle at a relatively low tumbling speed and at a relatively high centrifuging speed; means for effecting washing and rinsing in said receptacle; means for effecting heating in said receptacle; timer control means controlling all the aforesaid means to provide in sequence iirst, second and third operations, said timer control means being arranged to operate for at least a minimum predetermined period during said third operation; said timer control means in said lirst operation causing during at least part thereof said washing and rinsing means to be operated and said receptacle to be rotated at tumbling speed; said timer control means in said second operation causing during at least part thereof said receptacle to be rotated at centrifuging speed; said timer control means in said third operation causing during at least part thereof said heating means to operate and said receptacle to rotate at tumbling speed; and manually operable means arranged in cooperative relation to said control means and having two positions, said manually operable means in one of said positions selecting a sequence including all three said operations and in the other of said positions selecting a sequence including only said first and second operations, said manually operable means when in said other position causing said timer control means to extend said second operation through said minimum predetermined period that said timer control means would have operated in said third operation if it had been provided.

2. A laundry machine comprising a clothes receptacle rotatable on a non-vertical axis; means for rotating said receptacle at a relatively low tumbling speed and at a relatively high centrifuging speed; timer control means, and irst and second energizing circuits for said timer control means; means for eiecting washing and rinsing in said receptacle; means for effecting heating in said receptacle including a heater assembly, an energizing circuit for said heater assembly, and a thermostatic switch having a iirst position below a predetermined temperature in said receptacle and assuming a second position when it senses said predetermined temperature in said receptacle, said thermostatic switch in said first position completing said energizing circuit for said heater assembly and in said second position opening said heater assembly energizing circuit and completing said second timer control means energizing circuit; said timer control means controlling all the other aforesaid means to provide in sequence first, second and third operations; said timer control means in said iirst operation causing during at least part thereof said first timer control means circuit to be completed, said washing and rinsing means to be operated, and said receptacle to be rotated at tumbling speed; said timer control means in said second operation causing during at least part thereof said iirst timer control means circuit to be completed, and said receptacle to be rotated at centrifuging speed; said timer control means in said third operation completing said heater assembly energizing circuit and then opening said first timer control means circuit, said thermostatic switch moving to said second position at said predetermined temperature to open said heating means energizing circuit and close said timer control means second circuit, said timer control means then closing said iirst timer control means circuit to cause operation of said timer control means for a predetermined period; and manually operable means cooperatively associated with said timer control means and having two positions, said manually operable means in one of said positions selecting a sequence including all three said operations and in the other of said positions selecting a sequence including only said first and second operations, said manually operable means when in said other position causing said timer control means to extend said second operation through said predetermined period that said timer control means would have operated in said third operation if that operation had been provided.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said completion of said second timer control means energizing circuit and said subsequent predetermined period of operation of said timer control means are each repeated at least once.

4. A laundry machine comprising a clothes receptacle rotatable on a non-vertical axis; means for rotating said receptacle at a relatively low tumbling speed and at a relatively high centrifuging speed; means for effecting washing and rinsing in said receptacle; means for effecting drying in said receptacle comprising heater assembly means for effecting heating in said receptacle, an energizing circuit for said heater assembly means, and condenser water supply means for supplying cold water to dehumidify the air after it has picked up moisture from the clo'thes; timer control means including a plurality of switches controlling all the aforesaid means to provide in sequence first, second and third operations, said timer control means including a predetermined period of operation in said third operation; thermostatic means positioned to sense the temperature in said receptacle and having a lirst position below a predetermined temperature in said receptacle and a second position assumed at said predetermined temperature, said thermostatic means in said iirst position completing said heater means energizing circuit and in said second position opening said heater means energizing circuit and starting operation of said timer control means for at least part of said predetermined period; said timer switches including a first timer switch for completing said heater circuit, a second timer switch for completing a continuous circuit for said timer control means, a third timer switch for either providing said condenser water or for causing said high centrifuging speed when closed; said timer control means in said irst operation causing during at least part thereof said washing and rinsing means to be operated and said receptacle to be rotated at tumbling speed; said timer control means in said second operation causing during at least part thereof said receptacle to be rotated at centrifuging speed; manually operable means operably associated with said control means and having two positions, said manually operable means in one of said positions enabling said first timer switch, disabling said second timer switch, and causing said third timer switch when closed to provide condenser water, said manually operable means in the other of its positions disabling said iirst timer switch, enabling said second timer switch, and causing said third timer switch when closed to provide centrifuging speed o'f said basket, said timer control means closing said lirst, second and third timer switches at the end of said second operation whereby the first of said positions of said manually operable means causes said third operation to be provided to eliect heat drying of the clothes, and in its second position said manually operable means causes said second operationto be extended through said predetermined period that said timer control means would have operated in said third operation if that operation had been provided.

No references cited. 

